This blog is dedicated to the many many Europeans who, despite continuous disinformation campaigns, do not believe the worst of the Jews (malign and secret Jewish power); who do not disguise anti-Semitism behind the language of anti-Zionism; and who know that Israel embodies the best in democracy.

Saturday, 26 May 2012

What a surprise. Germans don't like Jews/Israel, they are not happy with their Muslim population. Germans are a reflection of what Europe has become. European Jews are incapable of changing the situation - they can complain, hope, pray, be alarmed, but poll after poll show what the reality is.

Dr. Dieter Graumann, the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told the mass circulation Bild newspaper on Thursday that he is “worried and sad” about a new poll that revealed a solid majority (59 percent) of Germans view Israel as an “aggressive” country and reject a special responsibility toward the Jewish state because of the Holocaust.

The Stern magazine poll was published on Wednesday and the anti-Israel sentiments expressed among a broad swath of Germans troubled Graumann.
He said he “wishes more understanding and less coldness” for the Jewish state “in view of the permanent existential threat that Israel faces.” Forsa, a polling agency, conducted the survey for Stern in advance of the visit of Germany’s new president Joachim Gauck to Israel and the Palestinian territories between May 28 and 31.
According to the Stern poll, 60% of Germans believe that the Federal Republic has no responsibility toward Israel because of the crimes of the Holocaust. A mere 33% of those questioned agree that Germany has a responsibility because of the Holocaust.

Graumann said,“Of course, the results make me worried and sad.” He added, however, that resignation is not an option and “We must make it clearer that Germany and Israel share a real community of values, which is based on democracy, freedom and tolerance.”
The Stern poll showed that 70% of Germans believe Israel pursues its interests without consideration for other peoples. In contrast to a 2009 poll, the recent Stern survey showed an 11% increase in German attitudes toward Israel pursing its own interests at the expense of other groups. A strong majority—65%--said Germany should recognize an independent Palestinian state.

Thursday, 24 May 2012

Laurette Onkelinx and her party (Socialist) are known to be hostile to Israël. Former ambassador to Belgium Jehudi Kinar: "Another powerful figure in the party is Laurette Onkelinx, then-Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister. We met a number of times. She promised me she would speak with Di Rupo, as she could not believe that my letter had not been answered. Onkelinx assumed there had been a technical glitch. When we did not receive an answer from Di Rupo, I sent her a letter. She did not acknowledge it. In the new government she will be Minister for Social Affairs and Health, and again Deputy Prime Minister." Her husband, lawyer Marc Uyttendaele, wrote a nasty anti-Israel book in 2006... (See: Belgium's New Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and the Jews)

BRUSSELS (EJP)--- Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Laurette Onkelinx accused an Israeli Orthodox Minister of ‘fundamentalism’ for choosing not to shake hands with her.
The two health ministers met at the annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, when Onkelinx claims her Orthodox Israeli counterpart refused to shake her hand.

Yakov Litzman is Israel's Deputy Health Minister and a leader of the haredi United Torah Judaism party and, as such, does not touch members of the opposite sex under any circumstances.
Onkelinx reacted to the event by posting news of it on her official Facebook page, under the heading “My hands are clean!”.

In the text that followed, she described how it was her second such “profoundly troubling” experience, the first being when she met an Iranian official:
“This kind of fundamentalist attitude, connected to a certain perception of religion and women, profoundly troubles me”, the statement went on to say.
The Jewish community has condemned the Belgian minister’s response, with editor of Jewish publication Joods Actueel claiming it “demonstrates her ignorance”:
“Mr Litzman’s refusal to shake Ms. Onkelinx’s hand had nothing to do with any view on women or impurity...It’s the custom. A more seasoned politician would have been aware of this sensibility in advance”, said editor-in-chief Michael Freilich.
Numerous bloggers also posted about the "gaffe," the majority concluding “ignorance may not kill, but it’s not a reason to take umbrage with a stranger”. [Many comments are viciously anti-Jewish and she is not on record for having complained about the Iranian official. Furthermore, she knows full well that there are many Muslims in Brussels who do not shake hands with opposite sex, but again she does not complain about them. What's more, Pinchas Kornfeld, an orthodox Jew who lives in Antwerp claims he has met Mrs Onkelinx several times, didn't shake hands with her, and she never complained either. Her sudden anger seems to be politically motivated - her outburst is set to please the Muslim (mainly Arab) population in Brussels put at a formidable 30% and set to grow.]

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Angela Davis, the well known American political activist, scholar and author, has just announced that she will join the jury of the Tribunal for our 4th and final session in New York. Angela has, throughout her life, always stood for justice and freedom for all and will be a fantastic addition to an already stellar cast." [Stellar cast? An obvious overstatement.]

The "Tribunal" (in fact a kangaroo court) was created in Belgium by Pierre Galand of the Free University of Brussels (ULB). Angela Davis was awarded on 14 May the degree Doctoris Honoris Causa by the Free University of Brussels. Questioned by students about the BDS campaign, she declared that she was in favour of the creation an official anti-Israel BDS Student Association at the university (like the Law Student Association, the History Student Association, etc). This association was indeed created a few days later.

Monday, 21 May 2012

These days, many Jewish children are being bullied, threatened with being killed or assaulted in schools in Norway, only over being Jewish. Remarkably, the Norwegian community chose to turn its back on this disgusting phenomenon, disgracing our society and breaching with our ideals. Or perhaps, these values and ideals do not apply to Jews? Not so long time ago, Jews were forbidden from living in Norway, own property, or were being herded to the gas chambers by “good Norwegians”.

I heard Renate Tårnes, the leader of the Labor Youth in Sør Trøndelag hold a speech to the young people of the Human Ethic’s society in May. Her speech contained a long pro-Palestinian political appeal, condemning Israel as usual, glorifying the Palestinians. This is not a unique example, reinforcing the belief today’s hatred of Jews in Norway starts by programming children. This time under the management of Norwegian socialists. Same story, new wrapping."

Perhaps not surprisingly, the talk backs to this article put the blame on- you’ve guessed it- Israel, over anti-Jewish sentiments. As for Ms. Tårnes, she is a survivor of the Utøya massacre, and was in portrayed after testifying in the Anders Breivik trial. [For the Utøya massacre see: Norway carnage and Israel, by Manfred Gerstenfeld]

Sunday, 20 May 2012

It is bad enough that the EU funds a group whose leaders promote "one-state" polices and use demonizing rhetoric that incites hatred - the fact that this becomes the basis for policy is even worse. [...] If the goal of EU policy is to renew the friction, prevent the growth of peaceful cooperation and trigger renewed violence in Jerusalem, these leaked documents produced by the NGO echo chamber will help them. On the other hand, if the EU, which has more than enough problems of its own, wants to promote peace, stability and compromise, this process needs to be replaced in its entirety.

Source: Times of Israel, co-written by Gerald M. Steinberg and Naftali Balanson

Jerusalem is the most complex and sensitive issue in the Arab-Israeli conflict. For over 3,000 years, the Holy City has been the focus of intense religious and national importance, as well as numerous outbreaks of violent conflict that spread across the region and the world. If this history provides any lessons, it should be the need for external parties to exercise extreme caution, and to avoid casual policy pronouncements that could easily inflame an already tense situation.

Tragically, the evidence indicates that the diplomats and officials of the European Union, and some of its member states, have failed to learn any of these lessons. These officials, based primarily in east Jerusalem and Ramallah, have prepared two "policy documents" that present ill-considered analyses and very dangerous recommendations.

The EU draft documents, written between 2009 and 2011, were never presented for public debate, thus failing to follow democratic procedures that Europe preaches to others. Instead, they were strategically leaked inHaaretz,Guardian, and the European Observer.

To make matters worse, the claims that served as the foundation for the EU documents on Jerusalem were provided by a small number of political advocacy groups, or non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which, despite their self-identification as "non-governmental," are funded by the governments (and taxpayers) of Europe. In the EU, budgets for political NGOs, amounting to tens of millions of euros annually, are provided through entirely secretive processes, with no information on who makes these choices or the basis for their decisions.

Saturday, 19 May 2012

There are countless gatherings like these in Europe every year - and every body vows to combat anti-Semitism. But nothing changes. Last year, this year, next year the same ritual, the same solemn promises again and again. One only has to look at how Europe treats the Roma population to understand that nothing will be done.

The sort of anti-Semitic attacks that took place in Europe in 1938 are occurring here today, Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein told European dignitaries and Jewish leaders on Thursday night.

“A brick hurled at a Jewish shop. A Molotov cocktail at a rabbi’s house. A Jewish girl attacked at school. These aren’t memories of Europe in 1938, but headlines in 2011,” Edelstein said in a speech at a ceremony in Belgium.
Edelstein represented Israel at an event celebrating Belgium’s chairmanship of the intergovernmental Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education.
Belgium will replace the Netherlands as the task force’s leader in March. Under Belgium’s chairmanship, the task force is to be transformed and renamed the International Holocaust Remembrance Organization. Some 300 people attended the ceremony in Mechelen where Edelstein spoke last week.
“My concern is the escapism that occurs in these ceremonies,” Edelstein told The Jerusalem Post after his speech.
“Conclusions from current incidents in Belgium, Holland and elsewhere must be drawn: Anti-Semites replace ‘Jew’ with ‘Zionist’ or ‘Israeli.’ They tell any blood libel and call it political debate.”

Friday, 18 May 2012

French comedian Dieudonné will be a candidate at the parliamentary elections for France's Anti-Zionist Party in June at Dreux (Eure-et-Loir).

To our knowledge, although in other European countries anti-Semitism remains a major cause for concern, France is the only country with an anti-Zionist party and where an "artist" with Dieudonné's views remains tremendously popular.

(ANSAmed) - CANNES, MAY 17 - "I do not want my film in Israel at least until the Israelis treat the Palestinians in occupied territories better," the Egyptian director, Yousry Nasrallah, has said of his film "After the Battle", which is competition at the 65th Cannes Film Festival. The comments, which are sure to spark controversy, came as the director answered a question from an Israeli journalist, who had inquired as to whether the film would be released in Israel.
Nasrallah's firm response was greeted by applause from some in the press room. "Why are you applauding?" asked Nasrallah. "I don't have anything against Israel, I have Israeli friends like Gitai, but while my people have tried to review some of their positions, the same does not seem to apply to Israel".

The French media are absolutely delighted at Nasrallah's double-standards. When European journalists applauded him, he pretended to be surprised and criticised them... Nasrallah also said that Israel is not a ally of the Egyptian revolution... or Arab Spring if you prefer.

Thursday, 17 May 2012

Le Monde: A report on foreign policy written in 2010 by the newly appointed French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius indicates that a Socialist government will make a departure from the excessive leniency of Sarkozy's (not noted to be a great friend of Israel either) policy towards the Israel government:

"We shall break with the excessive leniency of the French government towards the Israeli leadership. We shall tell them to move out quickly from the colonized territories."

Wednesday, 16 May 2012

The coffers are empty but ... France is building a new cultural center in Gaza at a cost of around one million euros (USD 1.3 million). France is the only country to have such a cultural center in Gaza.

Plans are under way to build a new 1,000 m2 building in 2008 on Charles de Gaulle Street, a main road in Gaza City. The structure will be built on a 2,000 m2 plot of land that was given to the CCF by the Palestinian National Authority. The new building is a direct response to the increasing demand for and growing popularity of the centre's activities over the years. It will also house the consular offices for visa and passport services as well as guest quarters for French visitors and artists who will come to participate in the planning and implementation of the centre's programmes.

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

"De Schutter does not want you to know that Havana’s Communist government created his post, nor that the co-sponsors included China, North Korea, Iran and Zimbabwe. [...] "De Schutter has repeatedly made one-sided attacks on Israel lacking any nexus to his mandate. Last July, he issued a pre-emptive attack against his own boss, in a press release titled “UN Special Rapporteur opposes Ban Ki-Moon’s conclusions on flotilla.” De Schutter was outraged that a panel appointed by the UN chief found that Israel’s blockade of Gaza, to stop Hamas importing Iranian missiles, was actually legal — contradicting what De Schutter’s human rights council had said the year before."

“There is no food and no clean water, nothing,” Mahmoud, a 12-year-old boy from Homs, Syria, told Reuters Thursday. “There is no shop open and we only have one meal a day. How can we live like that and survive?” According to the World Food Program, half a million people don’t have enough to eat in Syria. Fears are growing that the regime is using hunger as a weapon. This is the kind of emergency which should attract the attention of the UN Human Rights Council’s hunger monitor, who has the ability to spotlight situations and place them on the world agenda. Yet Olivier de Schutter of Belgium, the “Special Rapporteur on the right to food,” is not going to Syria. [He is a professor at the Catholic University of Louvain. In 2006 he wrote this report for a Belgian human rights NGO: Failing the Palestinian State : The human rights impact of the economic strangulation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory ] Instead, the UN’s food monitor is coming to investigate Canada.

That’s right. Despite dire food emergencies around the globe, De Schutter will be devoting the scarce time and resources of the international community on an 11-day tour of Canada—a country that ranks at the bottom of global hunger concerns.

A key co-ordinator and promoter of De Schutter’s mission is Food Secure Canada, a lobby group whose website accuses the Harper government of “failing Canadians … and [failing to] fulfill the right to food for all.” The group calls instead for a “People’s Food Policy.”

I asked De Schutter if his time wouldn’t better be spent on calling attention to countries that actually have starving people. “Globally, 1.3 billion people are overweight or obese,” he responded via his spokesperson, “and this causes a range of diseases such as certain types of cancers, cardio-vascular diseases or (especially) type-2 diabetes that are a huge burden.” In other words, the hunger expert is not even that interested in hunger, but the opposite. Sure, we should all eat less fries, but do Canadians need a costly UN inquiry to tell us that?

Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme (2008)

"We must be wakeful for a new anti-Semitism, sometimes too easy trivialized. We must be wakeful for a new anti-Zionism that is a hidden anti-Semitism that in reality has not accepted the existence of the state of Israel, even sixty years after its foundation. Europe cannot turn its back on Israel. For Israel is linked to the history of Europe, for more than one reason. We cannot speak about the foundation of the Jewish State without mentioning the Holocaust. There is more, the dream of a new Eretz Yisrael was born in Europe, in the hearts and minds of Theodor Herzl and his followers in the 19th century. And since many centuries, in many thousands of European Jewish households, Pesach, the Jewish feast of Easter, ends with the wish: "Next year in Jerusalem!""..........................................

Charles-Joseph, Prince de Ligne (1801)

"It seems to me that this 1800-year-old anger has lasted long enough."